UnitedHealth Group Coverage for Drug and Alcohol Detox & Addiction Treatment

First founded in 1977, UnitedHealth Group is the largest health insurance provider in the United States and the primary provider for the American Association of Retired Persons, or AARP. UnitedHealth Group is affiliated with over one million healthcare agencies and doctors, which allows the company to offer individuals, families and employers a wide range of insurance protections. UnitedHealth Group plans also cover detox and addiction treatment for drug and alcohol problems.

A UnitedHealth policy makes the costs of detox treatment more affordable, while providing you with access to any number of detox and rehab program options.

At this point, it’s important to know what your existing plan will and won’t cover, which makes the process of choosing a program that much easier.

Does UnitedHealth Group Cover Drug & Alcohol Detox?

Once you lose the ability to manage or stop drug (or alcohol) use on your own, there’s a definite need for detox treatment help. Since there’s no recovering from a substance abuse problem without stopping drug use altogether, there’s no getting around the need for detox treatment.

UnitedHealth Group plans do cover drug and alcohol detox. As different plan types offer different levels of coverage, the type of plan you have will determine your choice of programs and services.

UnitedHealth Group also bases its coverage determinations on something called “medical necessity.” This means, the company is more than likely to cover your program choice provided your plan physician deems it necessary to your overall health and well-being.

Does UnitedHealth Group Cover Drug & Alcohol Rehab?

While detox treatment will always be a necessary first step towards living a drug-free life, addiction recovery can run anywhere from several months to several years depending on the severity of your problem. If you’re coming off a moderate or severe addiction problem, it’s likely you’ll require ongoing treatment support to stay clean and sober.

UnitedHealth Group plans include benefits that cover drug and alcohol rehab, with each plan type offering different levels of coverage. In a nutshell, each plan type comes with conditions as to whether you can go outside your assigned health network to receive treatment. The more expensive plans allow you to seek treatment from out-of-network providers, which gives you more choices in rehab programs.

Types of rehab programs covered by UnitedHealth include:

• Residential programs
• Outpatient programs
• Intensive outpatient programs
• Methadone/Suboxone programs

How Long Will UnitedHealth Group Cover Detox Services?

UnitedHealth Group can cover your treatment costs and help you recover from addiction!

Today’s healthcare laws require insurance carriers to offer the same types of benefits for substance abuse treatment as they do for standard medical care. That being so, any services provided must be considered medically necessary in order for it to be covered under insurance. This means, UnitedHealth Group will continue to cover detox services as long as there’s a medical needed for continued treatment.

The detox treatment stage can run anywhere from seven days to several months depending on the severity of the drug or alcohol problem. It helps to keep in mind that your existing plan will continue to cover detox treatment for as long as you need it, but the actual services your plan covers may only be offered through a certain program type, such as an outpatient program versus an inpatient program.

Does UnitedHealth Group Provide Coverage for Luxury Detox & Other Non-Essential Benefits?

Luxury detox care falls under the “specialty treatment services” category, so certain conditions apply when using your UnitedHealth Group plan to cover treatment expenses. First off, approval for this line of care must be given by your primary care physician or else you’ll be left holding the bill.

Luxury detox programs commonly offer alternative-type treatment techniques, such as art therapy and acupuncture. While these services can be effective, your UnitedHealth plan may or may not cover these types of treatments. Ultimately, the type of luxury program you choose in terms of inpatient vs residential vs outpatient will have a bearing on whether your insurance will cover this line of treatment.

How Can I Cover the Excess Costs of Detox That Are NOT Covered by Insurance?

While your UnitedHealth Group can go a long way towards offsetting your treatment costs, you’ll still have to meet your deductible, pay copayments as well as pay for any services your plan doesn’t cover. Since many people entering treatment are already struggling financially because of drug or alcohol abuse, having to cover these out-of-pocket costs can be challenging, if not impossible.

Fortunately, many detox programs will work with you to help make these costs more affordable. Many detox and rehab programs offer payment assistance options that can help lower, or at the very least, spread out these costs over time. Program options include:

• Third-party financing
• Monthly payment agreements
• Sliding-fee scale payments based on your monthly income
• Grant and scholarship programs

Free Insurance Benefits Check-Your Detox May Be Fully Covered

Your detox treatment may actually be fully covered depending on the types of programs you’re considering. Detox.com works with a broad range of detox and rehab centers so we’re well positioned to help you find programs that accept your insurance plan.

Let us help you find a program that’s right for you. Call us at 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) to speak with one of our program advisers.